“Patriotic Country, Vol. 3”

Various artists, Razor & Tie

If last weekend didn’t give you your fill of flag-waving, jingoistic provincialism, check out these 17 patriotic tracks from country stars old and new.

Kenny Chesney leads off with “A Lot of Things Different,” a slow and surprisingly pretty “Like a Rolling Stone” melody with lots of sweet harmonies. Not exactly sure what it has to do with patriotism, but that’s cool (maybe even better). John Michael Montgomery makes up for Chesney’s subtlety with “Letters from Home,” a cliché-filled, tearjerker about — you guessed it — waiting for letters from a soldier overseas.

Perhaps because this is the third volume of the series, there are far fewer blatantly “patriotic” cuts than I feared. Not surprisingly, Travis Tritt, a war apologist/supporter before it was cool (the first Iraq war) weighs in with “What Say You,” taking the popular country stance that masquerades as “live and let live” — unless it’s something they don’t agree with.

Gretchen Wilson’s “Politically Uncorrect” whines that being “for the Bible and for the flag” is out of fashion. Yeah, right. Elsewhere, LeAnn Rimes offers up “God Bless America” and Tracy Lawrence does his “If I Don’t Make It Back.” But you gotta love Merle Haggard’s “The Fightin’ Side of Me” (one of my all-time favorites), Waylon Jennings’ “America” and Kenny Rogers’ “Long Arm of the Law” for their old-fashioned sentiments.

Adding a touch of guilt to the marketing, the back of the CD’s jewel case states: “The CD is also designed to help show your pride and respect for our troops.”

— MICHAEL LIPTON